Delirium and Moments
by Lucrid Lucifel
Summary: Crossing over to different universes has never been this kooky and random. Short stories, drabbles and one shots of IY/YYH crossovers. Yaoi, Shounen-ai and het content ahead. Any pairing ideas, just drop it in the review section. Rating varies.
1. Perils of Nothing

_**First Author's Note and Overall explanation for this series:**_ I decided out of a writer's block whim to upload short stories, drabbles and perhaps long, fun one shots of the IY/YYH pairings I may come up with. Or just random stories that cross over to each parallel universe. This collection is mostly het and yaoi content. _**Ferment Flowers**_ is for IY/YYH Yuri crossovers. So, just saying. I'm too lazy to segregate all the possible yaoi/shouen-ai fics that may come.

Enjoy.

-Xoxoxo

LucridLucifel. And yes, this is Adorablebanana's "main" account.

* * *

Title: Perils of Nothing

Author: LucridLucifel

Genre: Crossover, one shot.

Warnings: Sexual situations.

Rating: PG-13

Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho/InuYasha

A/N: A part of the Delirium and Moments collection.

Summary: Moments that involve locker rooms. IY/YYH. YuusukexKagome.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho nor InuYasha.

* * *

**Perils of Nothing **

_'Where the hell did she—Oh, wait. She's going out through the back door.' _

Higurashi Kagome exited out by the back door of the classroom.

Urameshi Yuusuke followed right on her tail.

He wasn't about to let her go so easily. She was, after all, a mystery needing to be solved.

Her acute paranormal seeking-senses suddenly started striking up like a lit match. On the spot became aware.

_'What is that?_' She had noticed the odd power before, but thought little of it since she couldn't detect any trace of evil in it. Her ignorance might stir up unsavory consequences.

Kagome diverted her direction from the short-cut to the Girl's Locker room and she headed to her designated locker.

She turned and was surprised to see a young man in the dim lighting. She yelped out of the surprise and she was forced to swallow her words as Yuusuke's glowing demonic aura was taking over his mind. He crushed his lips over hers and the growing, burning power of her activated miko powers stirred, flaring as they clashed against his youki.

**The End.**


	2. SheThing

Title: She-Thing  
Author: LucridLucifel  
Genre: One shot, crossover, anime/manga, humor.  
Rating: PG-13  
Fandom: InuYasha/Yu Yu Hakusho  
Summary: After suffering for years, death should be a nice final rest, but no. Not for a demon it can't. Sort of BotanxInuYasha.  
A/N: I'm messing with the crossover universe and to add more toxic to the IY/YYH dump I added my share to the mix. Oh, the shame. Theme # 030: Death for Livejournal's crossovers100 community. Part of the **_Delirium and Moments _**collection. Originally uploaded under 'The Laughing Corpse.'  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Yu Yu Hakusho or InuYasha series. They rightfully belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sensei, Viz. and Funimation.

**She-Thing**

_Never forget how to dream or sleep isn't worth a wink of it._

-Serres: Moon girl.

The awkwardness of the silence stretching out grabbed at Botan's subconscious and drilled through like the penetrating gaze of her fellow rider holding onto the magical wooden oar from behind, and if there's nothing worse than unmovable silence it's a lousy backseat rider.

—And yes, he was indeed a horrible backseat rider. Why did she choose this job again?

_Poke!_ There it was again! The clawed tip of his index finger, not at all gently as he so claimed, poked the back of her shoulder blade for the third consecutive time. "Yes?" she asked, patiently.

"Are we there yet?"

"Um, no. Sorry. We should be near the—"

"Never mind then," he interrupted, tired and mellower than a soul should be. Her answers were never enough to satisfy him.

Botan pursed her lips. Testy ghosts weren't always her cup of tea to handle.

She thought for a moment as she soared higher into the white clouds—which surprisingly Mr. Depressed and Grouchy ghost didn't make a mad grab on his end of the oar. It seemed as if he done this before during his lifetime and Botan wouldn't be the least surprised. Demons are thrill goers to an unhealthy level. It comes natural to them—what occurred to her may or may not seem silly, yet she decided to best take her chances. Anything worth killing the tension. "Let's sing a song. 'Kay?"

InuYasha contemplated the suggestion for a moment, pretending to anyways, and replied with a quick, blunt, "Not a chance, lady."

She frowned. "Why not?" Botan had a pretty good idea what her response would be.

InuYasha steadied her a long, long, deadpanned stare. Was she serious?

He stared at her for a second longer.

She smiled back.

Oh shit. She is. Well, fuck no. "Why would we sing? No, for reason's sake, why would I bother singing?"

The sarcastic bite vibrating his words made the ferry girl consider why she even bothered anymore? She huffed very feminine-like, turned around to eye him a very nasty look. "I'm trying to be the nice one here. I don't have to take the attitude of a grimy and childish ghost."

In the process of slipping into his customary cross of the arms over his chest and twist of lips, InuYasha stopped midway to frantically point in the direction his lousy, irresponsible driver abandoned the oar to go towards. "Hey, Hey! Watch out for that building!" he shouted. Immediately Botan took control of their ride again, steering them a breaths' length away from smashing into the concrete structure, back up into traffic-free skies.

So much for the experienced, calm, cool and collected theory of flying.

"Whoops. My mistake. Sorry," she apologized like a child who colored outside the lines of his or her drawing. She waved it off. A "minor technical difficulty" as she casually put it.

All InuYasha had to say was bullshit, but didn't out of worry she'd cause another mishap in transportation again. Can't anyone do anything right anymore?

"Don't. Do that. Again." InuYasha's long silver hair bristled on-end reminding Botan of a frightened pet. The cat ears—ahem, dog-ears, sorry—helped the picture form, too. For a rude, uncouth ghost he was pretty cute. Pet cute. Meh, maybe handsome as well. "I smashed into …things while I was alive, I don't want to replay it in the afterlife!"

"All right, already. I do get the point," Botan said, a bit frustrated he didn't believe her. "You're dead anyway. No body, no physical pain to worry about."

"And you're suppose to be the Grim Reaper." InuYasha narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He resisted the habit of scooting away, there's nowhere left to scoot to and he hadn't mastered the art of flying on his own either. Levitating, floating, or whatever that ghosts do shouldn't be too hard to learn.

"Why does every soul have the same reaction? Most fairytales are fairytales; I'm the real deal here and I'm taking us to the Reikai," Botan furiously insisted, her face lighting up like a cherry and upset once more her pride was stomped on.

"Right." InuYasha examined his claws, his fingers cracking as he flexed. "What's this 'Reikai' I'm hearing bout'?"

"I already told you," groaned Botan, her shoulders sagging. She resumed to fall into the usual explanation of what the Reikai is and the afterlife, blah, blah, blah.

"Pay attention to where we're going," InuYasha reminded her reproachfully.

Botan sent him a fiery glare.

InuYasha ignored it. By sitting in a statue for five hundred and fourteen years, trapped inside the darn thing, he learned and seen just about everything. His soul escaped a poisoned body and found refuge in an ancient shrine's Buddha statue set right outside the grounds. Memory served InuYasha right for once, and he remembered the wretched monk that accidentally locked the hanyou's soul inside the statue.

He couldn't even have a proper funeral and a regular death. No loopholes, no nothing. Just death and the canal his soul's destined to descend to in the afterlife—oh, but no. InuYasha couldn't even have that. Nope, not at all because the damn monk in the shrine he remained in (after the demon terrorizing a neighboring village speared him with his poisonous claws) decided to attempt to save him from impending death.

InuYasha remembered he had accepted his end during that time. He had lived a good life after the shard hunts and to rest from this struggle, from all this weariness made the welcoming hands of eternal rest appear pleasant.

Stupid monk had to ruin it. The monk trainee butchered up the spell and instead of floating to Nirvana, Heaven, or whether a soul goes to, it went straight into the marble Buddha and for the next several hundred years he sat there watching the world develop and change and fly past him.

The mistake cost him a possible reincarnation.

InuYasha hadn't had a clue to the whereabouts of Higurashi Kagome, the girl that once traveled through time to meet up with him in feudal Japan.

He had hope Kagome would find him one day.

Kagome never found him and this peppy, eccentric ferry girl did and carter him away. He had unfinished business, but he doubted it would matter at this point. InuYasha sighed, the transparency of his hands and body ceased to amaze him. He really is dead.

He lamented some more before Botan made a swift turn that had him grabbing for some wood and shouting, "Careful, woman! You're going to kill me a second time here!"

"Sorry," she said and probably meant it. For the Grim Reaper, or Lady Death as they say, she was far too careless and pretty to be the real deal. InuYasha wondered what paradox he fell into and if it would be considered cruel her kindness towards him?

InuYasha hadn't felt the brush of kindness in years.

**The End.**


	3. Intrepid

Title: Intrepid  
Author: LucridLucifel  
Genre: Crossovers, drabble, one shot.  
Rating: PG  
Words: 100  
Fandom: InuYasha/Yu Yu Hakusho  
A/N: Entry for the Love like Winter contest at Kindred, theHieixSango board. Kusanagi-no-tsurugi is a legendary Japanese sword, the equivalent to Britain's Excalibur. Part of the **_Delirium and Moments _**collection. Originally uploaded under "Adorkablebanana."  
Summary: Sango is the guardian of her husband's sword and is duty bound. Hiei just wants the sword. SangoxHiei.  
Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from the InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho series.

* * *

**Intrepid**

_"Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."_

-Robert Frost

Perhaps it was her belly full of child or her bold nerve to protect _Kusanagi-no-tsurugi_ what kept him from killing her? The unwavering form of her gleaming blade, her fierce determination, and her fear reaching his senses.

He lowered his weapon. Snow falling softly around them. "Why?"

Sango said nothing, only shook her head. Hiei left it alone-the prize pointless to steal.

_Maybe later._

In the spring he came again, and even a lone parent holding her child, she remained bold. "Why?" And the smile she gave was irritating and beautiful.

_Interesting._ The interest enough kept him sticking around.

**The End.**


	4. Water

Title: Water  
Author: LucridLucifel  
Genre: One shot, angst, crossover, anime/manga.  
Rating: PG-13  
Fandom: IY/YYH  
Summary: It's all about starting at point A. YukinaxInuYasha  
A/N: Consolation for my lack of Yukina/InuYasha-ness. It's short and sweet. Sort of. Part of the **_Delirium and Moments _**collection. Originally uploaded under "Adorkablebanana."  
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho, Viz and Funimation rightfully own the series and I don't make money out of these meager works of fiction.

* * *

**Water**

_And the waters of Eden come...  
-Animals on the rise, track 1._

_'Nooo!'_He screamed wordlessly. Bubbles forming in the water burst in little foaming trails as he plunged deeper and deeper into the underwater turbulence.

Further in he fell. Further away the hazy, rippling surface visibility faded.

* * *

A light bursts and engulfs him. The sensation of light speed stretching his whole person compared to nothing he had ever undergone. He no longer could hear the distorted screams of Kagome, Sango and the others.

* * *

She sits in the corner knitting.

Nothing in the world mattered to her, only her knitting.

Kazuma doesn't come. He moved on and beyond everyone's expectations and studied aboard. He promised to return and Yukina hasn't heard from him since.

She rarely has visitors. The only frequent visitor is the mysterious Hiei. Yukina wondered why he paid her mind, but she appreciated it all together. Going home to Koorime Island didn't appeal to her as it did in the past. She grew weary of the women at home. She didn't want to hear their commentary. Yukina wasn't a fool for searching for her brother and nothing they could say would change her opinion.

* * *

Air was good.

Air felt sweet and breathing was excruciating.

He needed to do this more often, he thought as he hit the cold, soggy mud.

The dip in the whirlpool of doom forever engraved itself as an experience InuYasha will dread for years to come. He found monsters and went through Hell on a daily basis but this experience literally scarred him for life. He can't stomach the idea of going near a lake or a large body of water.

InuYasha never drowned in an endless tunnel of cold, icy water. All this to push the stupid monk out of the way. Although, come to think of it, Miroku would've never survived that. InuYasha barely withstood it, what chance does a human have?

Why did his body ache so badly?

Why did he feel lightheaded and weak?

InuYasha shivered, coughing up the water forced down his throat.

Darkness welcomed him.

* * *

Where did he go? What happened to him?

_Good-bye, good-bye._

* * *

A call ensnared the ice apparition. A call she couldn't deny. She left Genkai's temple in search of this mysterious source. She felt no drop of fear, only curiosity. She left and stopped before a lake in the surrounding area.

Yukina found an interesting site resting right at the foot of the bank. She immediately ran towards it and kneeled in the muddy ground. "Are you alive? Say something, please," Yukina spoke softly. She turned the body over and checked for a beating pulse. The beating was slow and Yukina's panic slowly entered the scene.

No. It was her duty to remain calm. She can do this.

Yukina examined the body of the young man. He didn't look any older than seventeen. His handsome face held a stern expression. He fought hard to get this far, to have this exhausted expression on his face, Yukina though. She pushed back the raven strands sticking to his face. His long, black hair surrounded him in a messy pool of wet ink.

_'Who condemned you?'_Yukina leaned forward, closing her lips over his.

* * *

The sounds sometimes came loud and resonating and sometimes the sounds came from far away. Pain tightened in his chest, a pressure unbelievably painful. Pain manifested itself.

Lips clamped down and forced air down his throat.

At one point he managed to crack an eye open. A blob of hazy colors overrode his vision. Why couldn't he see clearly?

InuYasha's heavy hand rubbed at his eyes. Maybe if he—wait. What happened to his claws? Why are his fingernails blunt and short?

* * *

"Theoretically, my land is private property. I don't see how a young man can float adrift to one of my lake's shores if there's no city or town around for miles."

Yukina glanced down at the occupant lying unconscious in bed. Nothing in the world can lure him out of the sleep. "Then how did he come to be here, Genkai-sama?"

The cigarette hanging between Genkai's lips protruded small clouds of smoke. She crushed it in her palm without flinching and flicked the nuisance out the window. "That is what I need to investigate. Watch over him and don't let your guard down for a minute. Understand? I'm going out to take a look at this," she said and calmly scuffled out the room.

_'What could be going on with the lake?'_Yukina chewed on her fingernail, pensive. She paid no mind to it. The boy sleeping grabbed her full attention. What is his story? Yukina thought over this for the next couple of days.

Everyday she checked on him and doted him with her utmost attention. Hiei passed by once and didn't like what he was seeing one bit. He left the issue alone and followed Genkai's little investigation, his curiosity piqued by the strange situation itself.

* * *

"I wonder what your name is, sir?" Yukina said more to herself than to the man lying dead to the world on the futon.

_Who are you? Where did you come from? What is of your life right now? Does someone miss you? Are you needed somewhere?_

* * *

Yukina stayed up, attentively watching the boy in awed amazement. When the sun hit the sky, Yukina's red eyes widened witnessing the magical, almost unreal, transformation. The boy morphed from humanized gem to an enchanting creature, creatures believed to only live among fairy tales such as herself. The curtain of midnight hair bleached under the sunlight to a few shades lighter to a silver blanket, draped down and over his shoulders. Two little doggie ears perched themselves on top of his head, the regular shortcut nails elongated to long sharp claws.

_'He's…He's a demon as well.'_The apparition gaped, bewildered. Things finally matching and connecting themselves together, making more sense. "He's a demon, Genkai-sama, come in here quick!" she called to the old woman, confused. The day becoming stranger and stranger. First, she recalled, the boy appeared to be a normal handsome human then suddenly he miraculously reverts to a silver dog-eared creature. What's going on?

_'Does he transform during the switches of the day?'_Perhaps, then again, she really didn't know. He hadn't changed during the last couple of days, so it couldn't be that. She knelt beside his futon gaping in full befuddlement. What is going on? The question repeated itself like a mantra over and over, no definite answer revealing itself. Genkai rushed into the room hoping the girl remained unharmed. The very idea seeing her come to harm clenched her insides. She knew letting in that stranger might proceed to this.

"What's wrong?" she asked, halting in mid doorway. The scene she expected to see wasn't something she really expected to encounter. Her eyes widened a degree, staring puzzled at the lump of flesh lying asleep on the floor.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am, but well…" She pointed towards the hanyou. "I don't know if I can say the same thing about him."

Genkai strode over, slanting her eyes examining the youkai head to toe. Firstly she remembered, if correctly, the boy… the boy Yukina took in with her permission, he had long raven hair, violet eyes and all aspects what makes an ordinary human appear human. This boy gleams in a demonic light. There's definitely something fishy here.

"Yukina step back a bit. He could be dangerous," she told the reluctant girl sternly, obediently Yukina did as she was told, her crimson eyes filling in concern.

The minute those golden eyes opened the look of loss spent Yukina speechless. He glanced around and nothing seemed to click. Yukina couldn't help asking, "How are you feeling?"

InuYasha turned to her, that unmoving disorientation deepening as he looked at her. "What?"

"Dog-boy, she asked if you were feeling well. Have the courtesy of answering back," Genkai said. She carefully eyed the demon.

"Dog-boy? What are you talking about?" InuYasha snapped. "Where the hell am I anyway?"

* * *

"Koenma is going to—"

"No, please. Don't turn him in. He doesn't know who or what he is. He's harmless and lost. Let him stay, Genkai-sama, please," Yukina beseeched on InuYasha's behalf.

Genkai leaned against the ledge of the window. She looked into the distance, Yukina's persistence bordered on irritating and annoyance and the nagging part of it all, Genkai found it difficult to refuse the simple request. Not once did the ice apparition ask for anything and the unyielding persistence she carried on impressed the psychic.

Yukina grown to care for the mysterious hanyou and Genkai couldn't read this demon's mind. He's an enigma out of this world. Genkai couldn't permit this to slide. Genkai couldn't and yet…

Yukina persisted.

On her knees, she bowed her head low, and begging she said, "Please."

"We don't even know his name."

"He can't remember."

"He could be dangerous."

"He won't hurt a soul," Yukina said, believing her own words.

"Why go through this trouble for him?"

Yukina stopped, sitting on her knees. A puzzled look crossed her features. "I'm not sure. I feel …impelled to do it," Yukina said, her face turning the color of the sun kissed sky.

"I'll think about it." Genkai ended the conversation and that was that.

* * *

InuYasha stood staring up at the stars. Yukina watched him from the distance. She set his plate down, another midnight snack.

She couldn't pick up the courage to go and ask him what he was thinking. She didn't want to ruin the perfect picture of the hanyou resting at the base of the tree. InuYasha looked at her, locking eyes, and he nodded.

Yukina smiled.

She wanted to ask him what he wanted to do, but she figured out the answer already. He doesn't know. Doesn't know at all.

"Yukina…thanks." InuYasha waved her a simple good night.

Yukina appreciated it. "You're welcome. Goodnight to you as well, Takeshi," she said and he seemed to accept it. The name she picked to call him until he remembered his own.

* * *

"Ya know, what will happen if I don't remember where the fuck I came from?" InuYasha had said early in the day, helping Yukina pull out the vegetables in her garden.

"I don't know." Yukina looked down at her hands pulling carrots out and the thought that InuYasha may want to leave into the real world concerned her. Can he make it? Can he be okay without her and the temple?

It occurred to Yukina the idea he could do it on his own bothered her and partially send her in a panic. Oh, why me? Why?

InuYasha tossed another veggie into the basket. "I think I can. It doesn't seem hard."

"It isn't." Yukina swallowed, her throat tightening.

"I can and all…just…I don't think I'll like it. Is it bad that I stay here with you and that old hag—I mean the old woman?" InuYasha asked.

"Yes, yes you can." Yukina tried not to sound overwhelmed with an unrecognizable surge of relief. She abruptly changed the subject, to something related to the night's dinner, but before she did that she said, "Stay as long as you like. I'm…always going to be here."

InuYasha raised a thick brow. He couldn't really see deeper and past the true meaning of her words, he just sighed and replied with a, "That's a load off. Thanks, Yukina."

"You're welcome."

**The End.**


	5. A Token

Title: A Token  
Author: LucridLucifel  
Fandom: InuYasha/Yu Yu Hakusho  
Genre: One shot, drabble, crossover, fluff.  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: A small token of appreciation or is it more than just appreciation? KagomexHiei.  
A/N: Part of the **_Delirium and Moments _**collection. Originally uploaded under 'Adorkablebanana.'  
Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from the InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho series.

* * *

**A Token**

_A gift says more than the given.  
- one thousand verbs._

Kurama stood outside weeding his small, but durable garden. He pulled and tossed aside pesky weeds invading his lovely patch of roses. Pull and throw; the same sequence repeated itself for the passing hour. From on top of the shrouded tree branches, Hiei watched with disinterest his friend, or more accurately his closest asset, mind around his gardens. This is what is like hitting rock bottom and doing nothing.

None said anything to each other but each of them knew of the others presence very well.

Plucking another weed out, a smile curled Kurama's lips hearing the exasperating sigh from the dark youkai in the trees.

"Why bother laboring for an hour when the option to use your kitsune abilities in a blink is wide open? It's much faster," said Hiei impatiently. He promptly hopped down from his perch. He walked over directly towards Kurama and stopped about a foot near him.

Without needing to look up, Kurama already knew the look Hiei wore and that drew out a small chuckle from the kitsune. "Do these look dry to you?" Kurama asked offhandedly, holding up a limp weed by the roots, showing it to a dispassionate Hiei.

His brow twitching, Hiei's nose crinkled up with annoyance. "Does it appear rude if I told you I could care less about a chunk of weed?" His crimson eyes stared at the bits of dirt chunks tumbling messily on the rural earth.

"I figured you would say that," said Kurama with his all-is-too-well tone. He dragged an arm over his moist forehead, wiping away the sweat. "Always so insensitive about sweet mother earth, aren't you, Hiei?"

"My only peeve is your display of ridiculousness right now. Care to let me in on it?" Hiei said snidely. The pile of weeds sure was beginning to grow bigger.

"Ridiculous to you it may seem but you're not the one living under my mother's household. See, she has a childhood friend and she is visiting us for a good three days, and during these three days my mother's friend's daughter, Nanase, needs a person to tour around Tokyo with," Kurama explained coolly, diverting his usual intense eye contact. Hiei acknowledged this in a heart beat.

"And you want to avoid being stuck as this 'Nanase''s slave, right," Hiei added.

Which in doing so, he hit the nail right on the head, Kurama nodded very slowly. Oh the pain this will inflict on him...again.

"Basically." He examined the large specimen he pulled out of the ground. "Last time she came to visit, Nanase crawled into my bed during the middle of the night and it's quite disturbing to wake up next to blank, unblinking eyes staring intently at you. I simply wish not to relive it," Kurama concluded.

Hiei sympathized him and could mostly cook up a similar situation happening to him a while ago. Plus, he seen what those nutcase human girls do to him at his high school. Poor sap.

"And tending to the roses will...?"

"Provide an excuse to evade Nanase and should I comment it's working," the kitsune admitted. He sprinkled water on the roses and stole a quick glance over his shoulder just in case anyone in the household might be spying. "And besides, I like attending to the garden. it's quite relaxing and I haven't been able to keep up with it with all the work Koenma and mother tosses at me. Not to mention, keeping appearances up with school."

To this Hiei had to roll his eyes. He didn't know whether to differentiate this as amusing or utterly stupid. The disposition humans put Kurama under, even if circumstantial, amounts to total absurd nonsense. Why does he even allow this to happen? He wondered this time to time. Even Yuusuke permits Keiko to march all over him and permit all her rule enforcing. Simply perplexing is what it is.

And speaking of humans...

For a good hour since he came to visit Kurama he burned to ask him something he only would know. Hiei thought about asking Yuusuke, though the mere mention to attempt to ask him something is an offense against his pride as a youkai. Human ignorance will lead to more ignorance...but Yuusuke, perhaps, might have known. Too late for regrets now.

Besides, Kurama always supplied well detailed answers to his questionnaires. Now how should he approach this? Crap, he thought. He hadn't thought about how to exactly bring it up. He ran a hand up through his hair. This didn't seem as easy as he thought it would be. The fearful possibility Kurama might, most likely, figure him out would beyond doubt place him an awkward position. Damn.

The kitsune sensed the youkai's impassiveness. Kurama fixed him a concerned expression, his brows narrowing. "Is there's something on your mind?"

Hiei shoved a twitching hand in one of his pockets. He was indecisive to let Kurama in on it.

"Hiei...?"

"What are human women fond of?" he said, considering wisely his choice of words.

Blinking, Kurama almost showed the surprise on his face. He was tad puzzled by the sheer innocent question.

Since when was this a topic to ponder over?

Why did it suddenly concern him the ways human women brought themselves?

He honestly did not expect such a question to sprout out of Hiei's mouth.

"Human women? Why the sudden interest Hiei, did something unusually occur..."

"No. I'm only asking a question out of mere curiosity or can't you tell me? Human women are always complicated. It would be nice to understand the basics, you know. Just meaningless prying," Hiei fed Kurama a few sensible points to show in detail his question appeared natural and nothing to stress upon.

Hiei kicked a pebble out the way because the darn rock annoyed him. Kurama quirked a brow, enthusiastic over the topic of conversation . When Hiei developed an interest, mayhem often manifests itself in various forms. This seems to include that.

The kitsune mouthed something to a withered bud and instantly the bud straightened up, vines curling and sprouted handsome green leaves, blossoming into an exquisite crimson rose. The process captivated any viewer at hand. "If you say so, Hiei, though I don't believe a word you're saying. Understand," the redhead said, taking off his gardener gloves. "Exactly what are you interested in knowing? There's so many branches connecting to this topic. Human women tend to be very versatile with how they present themselves. The whole scheme with culture and class and time period. Women in this day and age are very independent and have a reasonable amount of equal rights as human men do."

"Does independence have any affect on how the whole process of offering gifts? I'm a little confused now," said Hiei.

"You want me to explain how that goes about in simple terms then?" Kurama hoped Hiei would agree because going on and on about a topic on how the whole dynamics of human women would be a super long discussion.

"Go with that."

"All right. Human women appreciate certain tokens to show what emotion a person feels for them, and it also depends on the occasion; such as birthdays, anniversary's, holidays. Are you following?" the kitsune went on.

"That's understandable. Kuwabara constantly offers Yukina flowers, does it contain a specific meaning to it?" The youkai inquired. His bright eyes narrowing as he was reflecting about it on a different perceptive. He despised the prospect by itself.

Kurama nodded, "Yes. In Kuwabara's case, he is showing his affections for her. Don't assume the worst, Hiei," he slipped in the fact. "For example, I often give my mother flowers, which shows I appreciate her as a mother."

The youkai resumed to his ordinary silent persona. Deep down he processed the useful information Kurama graciously provided him. Everything appears to fit together nicely. Gestures exchanged between mortals once was a bit confusing to him and the reasons behind them, but now it's cleared up a notch.

"The human nuisance is inside your room right now," Hiei said, noticing Nanase moving about.

"I know and bet you a stack of rubies she's trying to dig up anything worth to keep," Kurama added, already aware Nanase's hidden motives were in gear. He shrugged it off not threatened in the less.

He remembered to place the magazines he brought from the store this morning of gay pornography and placed them in the most obvious places where Nanase could think of prying into like Yuusuke told him to. That should kill all of this girl's hopes of having Minamino Shuuichi for himself.

"Hn," was Hiei's last words before he disappeared faster than a blink of an eye.

* * *

She sat outside, waiting in the usual spot she met up with him at. This has got to end and for good! Otherwise everything she labored and risked over will fall apart and by all means she will most definitely not give up her jewel shards.

Outside it was dark, the night sneaked up on her. All of her surroundings were vacant of people bustling about. Idiotic or not, standing alone and whatnot, in the chilly night where the unknown can occur and will seeing how the way the whole lot is flowing.

She remained rooted in her place, adorning a satchel equipped with razor sharp arrows and a few instant shells Sango gave her for a fast diversion to distract the enemy momentarily. It was good to buy her time until she can snag a moment to flee or to aim a good shot. Oddly, she found the gesture endearing yet it kind of shaken her to accept poison gas from her friend.

Could become useful in dire situations, she had thought at the moment when she first had the shells handed to her. A woman can never be too careful and her, Kagome, a certified accident-prone hazard tends to fall deep in complicated affairs, like it or not.

Kagome shivered, sensing the sudden chill of air rustle harshly pass her. Her skin instantly covered itself in goose bumps feeling the cold sensation sweeping around her.

She hated the cold.

She wished he'd hurry. The weather isn't agreeing with her and InuYasha's surely to perform a tantrum worthy of none other than himself. Getting dragged to the well back into Kaede's hut had to have been the worst thing he has subjected Kagome. She refused to relive that experience.

The sound of a twig snapping put her on alert. Kagome drew her trusted wooden bow and angled an arrow. She trembled beneath her vise grip, indecisive where to point her aim.

"Whose there?" she demanded but it came off as more in the lines of croaking. She sought a more reproachful, dangerous air, instead she ended up sounding worst than a frightened child. How humiliating.

Perceiving the nervous atmosphere surrounding the girl, it insignificantly amused him in a way. He liked the outlook people reacted in his presence. Purely his sadistic nature at work here. She gave the impression she's scared shitless, yet, she stood her ground holding her head high. Impressive, he thought.

"You," she bite out penetratingly, "I know you were expecting me to come and I've met up with you here to tell you once and for all, the jewel shards are mine. I refuse to hand them over so drop it already," she said with as much bravery as she can muster. Unconsciously trembling, Kagome straightened up, directing her bow before the youkai.

Hiei unethically retained his calm, cool, collected vibe. Unaffected by the whole idea an arrow was pointed directly at his head.

How cute. She's acting on a lifeless threat. Cute, very cute.

"Fascinating, girl," he said in mock droll. Raising two of his fingers, the index and middle finger, he curled them around it and flicked the steel tip of the arrow head, propelling the flimsy dart to fly to who knows where. Kagome gaped in disbelief whereas Hiei persisted with his passive mood, appearing a bit bored.

The color drained and her flushed from her face. She stared over to where she assumed her arrow must have been flung toward. Oh God, she thought in rising panic. What will she do now...?

Kagome groped anxiously at her satchel for an arrow and failing miserably to grip properly a damn arrow. Her cold, numb fingers were having difficulties obtaining a proper grip on anything so far, the attack of the nerves getting the best of her, Hiei did nothing to hide his interest gleaming in his callous eyes.

"You look ridiculous right now, human," Hiei commented, watching her fruitless struggle. Kagome sure is something special.

"Quiet, you-" Idiotically, she stepped on a loose shoe lace and tripped over hard on the ground, dropping all her materials in a messy clatter. Arrows rolled across the ground like spilled pencils, her book bag leaked the majority of her possessions out in the open. Alarmed, Kagome dived towards the nearest objects, sweeping them toward her.

Damn, this is not good! Kagome disregarded the demon for a moment. Her face flaming red and thoroughly embarrassed. Trying to show a tough impression just to end up looking silly isn't an outcome she planned on having.

Now the demon, Hiei, will absolutely not take her serious and steal the shards right under her nose and kill her too-hacking her head clean off her shoulders-that's if he still has his composure after laughing so hard at her.

Clenching her fists, Kagome desperately hoped the tables would turn and she might come out okay from this ordeal. Dying of shame isn't a prospect worth viewing.

Eyes shut tight, Hiei massaged a temple. The pulsing nerve pestering him repeatedly. Can this woman get any more ridiculous? It's almost-no, in fact-it is bloody painful to witness Kagome's bout of "bravery." Pity is what this poor excuse of a woman needs.

Crawling a safe distance away, she childishly blew a raspberry and shouted a "Laugh at me all you want but I refuse to hand over my shards!"

Her ego today felt exceptionally battered. Encountering Hiei gave the feeling he seemed to live to embarrass her.

"The effort hardly sums up to a try, girl," he said, shaking his head slowly. Hiei held up a bundle of what Kagome recognized to her terror her own arrows. She dropped everything filling her arms and struggled to her feet to run off. A scream breaking through her lips.

Hiei hurled the arrows like darts on a target board, one by one the arrows ripped the air and hit the mark pinning Kagome's sleeves against a course tree trunk like a stapled doll. Immobilized against the tree, Kagome thrashed reluctantly, resisting to remain pinned up.

"Let me go!" she cried out. The fear rearing up closer and closer since this whole turnabout began. It was unreal how she felt, all this uncontrollable fear. What was to become of her? Hiei is going to steal the shards and sink his katana to the hilt in her without hesitation and chaos will ensue once InuYasha gets wind of it. Oh God, please don't let the worse happen.

Kagome mentally begged to lady luck for a miracle to occur. Anything to save her hide. "Put me down, please!" she pleaded, afraid. Hiei uttered a simple, "No."

Regarding her carefully, as if nothing jumped outside the ordinary was misplaced, he kept eyeing her with an eerie sort of look. Even for him, she thought, it wasn't ordinary.

Kagome couldn't bare to keep his intense gaze and broke off, screwing her eyes shut. She awaited for the clink of the blade to vibrate into her ears and the-Oh God-the final contact when he'll thrust his sword into her. "Fine! Get rid of me then. Just do it quick!" she resigned, whimpering, hoping the pain will be quick and painless.

The heavy atmosphere carried on for a while and Kagome wondered why nothing transpired. Huh? Gathering her courage, she sneaked a hesitant peek. Much to her surprise, the youkai eyes fasten themselves on hers. He decided to not remove his sword from the scabbard.

Wordlessly, he stepped closer-she cringed-he curled his fingers beneath her chin to fasten his lips over her stiff yet soft ones. The demon brushed his tongue along her bottom lip and thrust in his tongue, tinkering with her insides very gently, brushing her smooth, wet tongue. Ridged and stiff, not in the slightest did Kagome believe this was happening.

The actuality of it all refused to register and sink in until the pooling feeling her in tense body flooded and became alive. Every part surfaced to a tingling frenzy-as mild as it was it had life.

He pulled away, purposely not looking and studying the look in her eyes, he couldn't really bring himself to meet her in the eyes. He yanked the few arrows restraining her arms free, dropping them in down at her feet.

She slumped sloppily on her knees. She was stuck on the sudden stupor that all she could do was to simply ogle at Hiei.

"Leave," he whispered, audible enough for her to catch. He turned to leave. On no account he exchanged glances. He disappeared into the night, the youkai's speed leaving nothing to remember.

The stunned girl stood there, baffled to the bone, unable to say anything coherent. Rationality alluded her each time she aspire to connect the dismantled pieces fallen upon her lap. He teased her, called her stupid and slow then sticks her on a tree (scaring the wits out her) and then plants a kiss on her.

No matter how many times she pieced together the sequence of events, the confusing vibe continued to linger around her. "I think I fell into a paradox or something. This is all way to weird for me," she said to herself.

The afterthought the situation opened lingered relentlessly in her mind.

Maybe this is why he provoked her for the last two years since she first encountered him?

Kagome gasped, discovering another shocker displayed before her. Laying in a sloppy heap, a variety of flowers laid in a heap of a pile all over the ground. Kagome picked up a dandelion, the roots still hanging from the stem, clinging chunks and smiled. She stifled a giggle, finally able to gather together the reason why Hiei urged her to come to this spot today.

**The End.**


	6. Sweet Choice

Title: Sweet Choice  
Author: LucridLucifel  
Fandom: InuYasha/Yu Yu Hakusho  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: One shot, crossover, humor, fluff.  
A/N: Chocolate given to lovers and people you like is called Honmei-choco. Panda-chan I'm really sorry this is posted up way after Valentine's day. Part of the **_Delirium and Moments _**collection. Originally uploaded under 'Adorkablebanana.'  
Summary: Things people do to prove a point can be insane sometimes…KagomexHiei.  
Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from the InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho series.

* * *

**Sweet Choice**

_…without a picture on my wall it reminds me that it's not so bad, that it's not so bad…  
- Ditto chorus; Stan._

She thrusts the block of chocolate again dangerously close to his face, insisting on and on for Hiei to take a bite.

"One little nibble won't hurt," she kept saying.

Hiei turned his face away in utter discontent, his features twisting in disgust.

Ew. Just ew, he thought. There's no damn way he's trying that piece of crap. Not even the cutest of charms this wretch of a human is capable of producing can dissuade his mind.

No, no, no, and no!

No matter how her luscious pink lips pouted, no matter how those covetous bright eyes pleaded him and the manner she pressed painfully close to him-Hiei's resolve stood firm.

"I said no, you annoying girl!" he hissed, scooting as far back from her to create a fair amount of space between them.

Kagome frowned. You can tell from her determined eyes, she was enclosing in on his haughty profile. Mean youkai, she thought. Why does he always have to be so crude, nasty and overall to her specifically, (aside from Kuwabara).

Kagome moved closer to the distancing demon. It was extremely difficult to keep balance on a rickety tree branch and the fear of tipping over and losing her balance hung in the mist. "Stay still will you! Come on, just take it like a man and eat the chocolate!"

"Eating sweets does not determine the validity of a man's masculinity!" he replied rather cross.

"Oh, just shut up and eat it!" she had the audacity to say.

"No, you vexing girl! Get away from me this instant!"

She snorted, rolling her eyes indifferently to his childish behavior. What's the deal demons have with someone "touching them," she thought. Kagome encountered this particular issue with many male demons she came across with. It's not like she has cooties or something infectious for peep-sake! Children! They all have to be children!

"You little snot. Come over here and eat it for the last time! I warned you I would climb the tree to get you and here I am. Yuusuke won't be happy if something were to happen to me, right?" she began in her know-it-all intonation.

Hiei, to this, arched an inquisitive brow. Threatening him is she now? If he wasn't disgusted at the proximity she inched dreadfully close to him, he would have snorted in all his mock droll. Her idle threats weren't remotely as amusing as Kuwabara's attempts to top the wisest. It was simply preposterous. The steel nerves she had challenged his ideal on the average human intellect. Yuusuke's cousin or not, he could give a hoot who this imbecile is related to. "You believe I genuinely care?"

"Yes I do," Kagome said, without missing a beat. She jerked the heart shaped chocolate. Hiei stabbed a finger in her chest pushing her away. She slapped the hand away. "You're touching my breast, you know."

"I'm keeping you away," he bit back reproachfully. Hiei's glaring wide eyes were the sole indication her comment disturbed him.

He would never touch her in that manner-Hiei never would at all-it was just accidental…

"I would not touch you if I was forced to," said Hiei, taking a stab at protecting his dignity ,even when he acknowledged just how plain idiotic his retort came off. He's simply off his game today. Annoying females burn a lot more of his brain cells than anything else. And Kagome exasperated him more than anyone around.

"I never knew you could be this stingy. Sheesh! It's just a chocolate!" Kagome released a wistful sigh, exhausted by Hiei's unnecessary stubborn nature. 'I guess he won't accept my Honmei-choco heart, will he?'

"Hn."

"Be that way then…" she turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. Let him stay a stubborn, stingy, mean prude. All she just wanted was to wish him a happy-

Oh no! Kagome suddenly remembered. How on Earth is she going to get down from way up here in her neighbor's tree? Oh damn it! She should have thought about the consequences beforehand! What a moron she could be at times!

She gnawed nervously on her bottom lip, wondering by what method exactly she will have to pick to meet the safe sturdy ground in one single piece and without ruining the tree or killing herself?

Everything from here looked so…tiny. Was she that high up?

Hiei unfortunately read easily where this was taking off. The demon couldn't decide what level of stupidity to properly categorize her in. Top level for dumbbell or second level for thicker than a rock? He grunted, alluding the nagging reflex to roll his eyes or to mock her to his heart's content. Then he thought, he should leave her up here and see what course of action she'll take.

That should prove to be entertaining, he thought derisively. And then, in the next moment, his rush of amusement died. Thinking about it again, the idea of a human girl (and as stupid as this one in particular is) in broken bits took over the funny idea and it was destroyed brutally by another troubling thought occurring to him.

Naive as she is, Kagome's most likely to pretend to flap like a bird and jump off the tree branch with false hopes of reaching the ground safely. Hiei honestly thought she would do it too.

The disturbing image of Kagome flying down and landing in a pile of dismantled limbs remained uneasy with Hiei. Ugh. Why was he left to look after irresponsible humans without consent from his part? No ever asks for fucking permission! Hiei felt, for the first time in his life, fit into the role of a worrisome mother. (Well the second time, because Yukina brings out that side of him). The feeling is God-awful. He was mad at the universe for cornering him with this choice and leaving him no other alternative.

He could always turn the cheek and let the laws of nature take its course with this girl, but just the simple thought of it bugged him enough to interfere with it.

Taking pity on this nuisance of a human, Hiei held out his hand for her to take. Kagome stared at it as if the hand was an alien. Was he offering to help her? The corners of her lips twitched wearily into a subtle smile. A smile hindering his earlier thoughts to allow the girl to find her own way out this mess she climbed into away.

"Get moving. I don't have the entire day," he said, urging her. She took his hand. Glancing up at his candid face, she decided to flash him one of those coy smiles that packed the ability to render a man's defenses down the gutter.

Damn female wiles. Damn instincts. Damn girl, Hiei thought bitterly. And yet, it felt quite nice to have something like that center on him for once.

Kagome said nothing. When she reached the safety of her room, she managed to work up the courage to tell him what she been wanting to say all day. "Thank you." She smiled. "Happy Valentine's day, Hiei."

And from his end, it wasn't so bad.

**The End.**


	7. An Endearing Demise

Title: An Endearing Demise  
Author: LucridLucifel  
Genre: One shot, crossover, dark, angst, character death.  
Rating: PG-13  
Fandom: InuYasha/Yu Yu Hakusho  
A/N: Part of the **_Delirium and Moments _**collection. Originally uploaded under 'Adorkablebanana.'  
Summary: If death comes this way she rather not miss it. HieixKagome.  
Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from the InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho series.

* * *

**An Endearing Demise**

_Say goodnight, say it for good._

-Bjork.

_Is this it? Is this truly how it ends?_ A part of her raved on with dry sarcasm and the other dwindled in mild disappointment at the position she found herself placed in.

_So this is how it ends._

Typical and ironic in a sense one of her own weapons pierced right through her, and furthermore, she was bound to the same tree a demon over 516 years ago, which coincidentally was also, although she pretty much was assured her body wouldn't preserve well as his did.

She gazed up, the light headed feeling spiraling in a rhythmic beat, consisting of fast then very slow hazes. It nearly felt grand.

The pain tuned in and out. She didn't appreciate the frightening flood of bright red blood spilling freely down her front to her legs and to the ground. It's such a disgrace to waste such a large supply of life blood when there are others who can use a donation, she thought derisively, and her reason behind her sudden illogical thoughts in a moment such as this came on as hilarious as well.

_Ridiculous!_ She can't even take her own death seriously.

How pitiful. Or is it?

Kagome cared less and less about the dramatic theme that goes along smoothly well with a slow death. She wasn't much for clichés anyway.

Nothing went on as a cliché in her life. No matter how much she followed the steps in order for it to occur.

Her trembling hand gripped on the wooden base of the arrow plunged in halfway through her gouged abdomen. It was going to be one of the most stupidest moves she ever done, but she did it anyway knowing the consequences, in one swift painstaking instant, she pulled the arrow out, grunting her momentary jolt of pain.

The blood flood was more free to leak everywhere. The arrow stopped the blood from rushing out, but with the obstruction out, the blockage was no longer there.

She slid down the rough tree trunk to the foot of the god tree. The ancient tree more or less seemed to cast her its final stash of sympathy, because she rested her back against the trunk nearly in comfort.

Her cold fingers rattled holding the long spear-like pole in her hands. And the dripping and falling of more of that valuable essence she familiarized with during her life time. _Yep. All those times I saw buckets load of it pouring out of a person._

"He sure harpooned me good. Like a whale," she said, hacking up the blood accumulated in her throat. She examined the length of this baby and was surprised about half of the arrow managed to submerged her.

"What a brilliant time to joke around," the familiar voice said, coming from her left side.

She turned to see the very youkai she least expected to see.

"Well, this is certainly a big surprise. Good to see you came to my funeral, Hiei," she said as she smiled wearily in his direction.

Her lack of misery rubbed him in the wrong way. Hiei frowned, analyzing her current shambled state. There wasn't much he could aid her in this far along in her critical condition.

"C'mon, cheer up. You should be celebrating. I'm finally kicking the bucket. You wanted to kill me a few years ago, this should be one of those memorable moments to smile at."

"Hn." Hiei shrugged, repelling the appalling disbelief she managed to stir in him from overtaking him as best as he could manage to. "I'm proven correct when I said you were insane. Strange to the bitter end."

"I prefer the term 'eccentric' than strange."

"How inaccurate of me." His lips thinned. This was bleak and the unwanted void opened up slowly. _She shouldn't be smug at all._

"Yup." This was insane altogether. Having a casual everyday conversation during the mists of her termination. She wasn't even sobbing her pain out nor begging for professional assistance to save her measly life. Damn it, what's wrong with her?

"I suppose you're not going to enlighten me how this all transpired."

"Nah, no point in it. I kind of was expecting this sooner or later," Kagome explained, "and besides…my time's up," she concluded calmly with the best impression of enlightenment she could concoct.

She wasn't afraid of fate. Maybe once a upon a time she was, but right now she wasn't.

Kagome held no grudge and the person who struck her down already met a fate far worse than hers. Sadly, Kagome sympathize this more than the condition she's in.

"Typical," Hiei mumbled under his breath. He undoubtedly failed to veer this situation to a… more appropriate setting. Yes, that's more like it. A more appropriate setting to carry this on. Hiei reanalyzed this again and came to the more sensible conclusion there is no such thing as a more suitable moment.

In fact, this moment felt inexplicably surreal.

"You go about this as if your life never mattered, woman." Hiei knelt beside her. She patted the ground for him to sit on the patch of unsullied Earth for a moment. He did as requested. Hiei could not find a more natural way to refuse this.

"Back to those formalities again, Hiei? By now I thought you referred to me by my name." She breathed out, trying to ignore the twinge of pain rocking her system. "Well, that was nice while it lasted," she chuckled richly, the effort put into the gesture did not go unnoticed by the dark youkai.

He stared out into the distance finding nothing useful to say in return.

Kagome sighed, her breaths slowly growing longer and heavier as the silence dragged on. When she spoke again her optimistic ambiance dissolved to the more believable shape of solemnity. "You're wrong. My life did matter to me," she admitted quietly.

"Then why did you allow yourself to stay this way? Why didn't you try to attempt to save yourself?" Hiei pressed the inquiry forward. He swept his eyes over the fatal wound pouring in thicker gushes. The smell of metallic overpowering his nostrils.

The misleading boldness she demonstrated did little to fool the naked eye. Hiei read through it and in the same instant, he stood between the fork in the road unsure if his logical guess was correct. Kagome did have an unbelievable tendency to delude a person from their former guesses.

_She wants to embrace death,_ he thought.

"I don't know really. I think I'm ready to …well, you know."

"Figures."

"Hiei, how did you know about this?" Kagome asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Just happen to pass by. The strong smell of blood and youkai reached me. I came investigate it," Hiei regarded her with the barest of answers.

The truth to the matter behind his reasons wasn't false. He actually happen to pass by the shrine. He initially planned on pestering her for the day until he grew bored. Hiei adjusted to the routine to occasionally drop by. He had no true motives for this, even he was oblivious as to why he accustomed himself to visit her.

"I see."

The pausing between words continued.

Her heavy, struggling breaths rapped harshly against his ears. The abundant odor of her blood drugged his senses. He knew she was reaching her time and yet she continued to strive on to keep on breathing.

"You're dying and you still fight to maintain consciousness. Do explain. Or is it you're actually afraid? This fear is normal," he laid on the truth thickly and blunt as ever.

The tiny smile on her lips stretched a little, appreciating the faint manner he expressed genuine sympathy. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm not nervous and unsure, but, it's not about me exactly."

"How so?" He arched a brow in query.

"First off, this isn't too bad. At least I don't get to go through the pain of aging alone. Dying at thirty sounds much better than at eighty, don't you think? That's the cycle a human's life circulates." She shifted in her spot as another aching pang of pain coursed her. "And…I led a good life. I lived through many pains along with many pleasantries. What more could a woman want?"

"Conserve your energy-"

"No." Kagome put a stop before he could finish. He glared and the flickering displeasure crossing his features reminded Kagome of the past. _He always gets annoyed when I do that._

A warmth touched her somewhere. She did little to ignore it. She rather liked it and it saddened her to leave it behind.

"I prefer not to leave certain things unsaid. I want to thank you for staying here beside me whether the intention was thoughtful or not, I appreciate it," she said thoughtfully. She closed her eyes and reopening them to stare out into the quiet distance, taking in her surroundings for a last time. "Of all the things I caused and regret, I don't regret ever meeting you, Hiei."

To this, Hiei glanced at her pale face. His eyes were slightly widened hearing her speak her words so profusely and with an honesty Hiei felt confused by.

He said nothing. The lingering aftereffect her words left sunk in.

Kagome suspected she unsettled the Jaganshi on a certain level. She accepted his recoil to her little confession.

The slight furrow of his brows confirmed the awkwardness she placed over him. Kagome regretted nothing up to this point.

He can bear with her just a bit longer. He'll survive this brush with embarrassment.

And suddenly, her world took a deeper turn to the hazy side. Slowly she felt herself slipping away and right before she lost her complete sense of self, her frail hand reached over to Hiei's hand, resting it on his in a feeble, gentle grip.

He froze. Staring down at the small, bloodstained hand lying over his. What is she doing and for the record why hasn't he brushed her disgusting hand off his person?

Hiei and Kagome's eyes met for a brief moment that seemed to last forever. They gazed into each others eyes, till she sighed a blissful sigh, then closed her eyes. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead. My opinion never stopped you before."

"Will you remember me once I'm gone?"

"I never forget those I cross paths with, miko."

"That's good to know." Momentary silence and then, "Can I ask you one more favor?"

"Hn."

"If it's not too much trouble, can you take my body and burn it elsewhere? I don't wish for my relatives to see me this way," Kagome asked, so softly in such a quivering tone, she thought her tears were going to spring forward.

"Granted," he said in response to another rare act of compassion.

"You lifted another weight off me. I appreciate it a lot, Hiei." Her hand squeezed his. Her strange form of showing the last ounce of affection she can offer. "And thank you, for not letting me die alone. I think I was more afraid of that than what happens next."

The strength she held his hand with faded as her grip loosened.

Kagome spoke no more after that.

The silence taking over the solitary shrine thickened tenfold. In an unspoken way, the shrine was mourning her leave.

Hiei learned the meaning to what the wise kitsune meant when he said humans are selfish creatures. _They disappear, leaving the living to suffer with nostalgia of their memory._

Unfortunately, Hiei will look back and remember the human woman he once befriended and reminisce her memory.

**The End.**


End file.
